Integral - Vampire Fantasy Cyberpunk

The City That Wasn't: Part 4

Matthias noticed the rhythmic chirping of crickets as they walked back to the car. The lack of background noise in the area allowed a hidden soundscape to emerge. Various different noises, presumably from insects he could not identify, along with a dog howling in the distance. Closing the car doors, the silence was amplified.

"He didn't seem that bad," observed Matthias.

"No, he didn't, did he." Frank sat with his hands on the steering wheel. "I don't like this."

"Let's get over to that motel and wrap this up," said Matthias.

"Yeah," said Frank.

The trip to the motel was quick. The town itself was relatively small, and the Rosewood was only a mile from Zippo's schoolhouse. Frank pulled against the curb two blocks down.

"I see him," said Matthias, referring to a man hunched over a long-bike.

It was the type of motorcycle that used an onboard computer to monitor and manage shock absorption, torque, and efficiency. Its body was long and contoured for the rider to lay flat with their arms pushed through sleeves that ran parallel with the front wheel fork. Their forehead laid against a molded interface consisting of a breather, aug-real goggles, and neural pad. The interface allowed the rider to have guided vision, manage oxygen intake, and control the bike mentally.

"See any others?" asked Frank.

Matthias scanned the area. "Could be hiding, but no."

"Why is he just sitting there?"

"Fancy bike. Some of those things have turrets," noted Matthias.

"The wreckers are all augmented," said Frank. "He wants to get away from us, he gets away."

"And if he has a turret, he just kills us."

"Not if you act as bait."

"Maybe we should just ignore him," Matthias suggested.

"Shit... Okay, I have a plan," Frank started. "I want you to sneak up on him. Not real close, but close enough to take a shot if things go badly."

"Alright, and you?"

"I'm going to waltz up to her door. Then we'll see how the biker reacts."

"Hmm," Matthias considered. "Let's do it. Give me at least a full minute."

Matthias ducked down as he skittered from shadow to shadow. Even at night, there were light sources everywhere, even if dim. But his vampirism gave him enhanced strength, speed, and finesse, allowing him to move quickly and quietly. He crouched behind a car twenty meters from the Wrecker, then slid onto his stomach and crawled along the ground. He made it behind a car across the street from the motel and squatted perfectly still.

He could hear Frank's footsteps, then the sound of the wrecker. It was subtle, but the man had turned his head to watch him. Frank went up stairs on the side of the building to the second-floor balcony. The biker continued watching.

Frank, not knowing which door to go in, had to come up with a method of discerning. He pressed his face up to the front window of the first room and listened, then moved to the next. At the third one, he could hear sounds of movement. Good enough, he thought before knocking loudly on the metal door.

A man's muffled yell came from the other side. "What do ya want?"

"I'm looking for Lucy," Frank shouted back.

"Wrong room."

Frank moved to the next window. No sound. At the fifth room from the stairs, he heard noise, hushed voices, one of them a woman's. He banged on the door. No answer. He banged again harder and heard the sound of movement.